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It is thought that the
name comes from the Stone of Destiny (or Scone).
Scottish kings have been crowned upon this stone for
more than a thousand years. The present British Queen
Elizabeth II was crowned on the Stone in 1953. The
original version of scones was made with oats and
griddle baked. Today they are flour-based and baked in
the oven and come in various shapes (triangles, rounds,
squares, and diamonds).
Check out Linda's
History of English High Tea,
English High Tea Menu,
and
Afternoon Tea & High
Tea Recipes.
Scones are best served warm and fresh, split open, and topped with either lemon curd or thick homemade jam and clotted cream
(Devonshire cream or creme fraiche).
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Hints and Tips on
Making Scones:
Use fresh
ingredients, especially baking soda and
baking powder, as it is essential to
perfect biscuits.
Sift all
the ingredients to aerate the flour,
making lighter scones. Always measure
first and then sift the flour. Sifting
adds lightness and removes large lumps.
Only use
butter and use it straight from the
refrigerator. Cut into small cubes, then
add to flour.
Knead
gently with your fingertips until dough
just comes together. Don't over handle
the dough as will make your scones tough
and rubbery.
Don't use
too much flour to roll your dough out
onto.
Use a
sharp cutter on dough. Do not twist
cutter, it causes unevenly risen,
lopsided scones.
Scones can be cut into any shape you
desire. Use a drinking glass to make
circles, or cut into squares or wedges
with a knife. Dip the edges of the
cutter in flour to prevent the dough
from sticking. Do not pat the edges of
the scone down; instead leave the cuts
as sharp as possible to allow the scones
to rise in layers.
Place cut
scones close together on tray to
encourage rising, but not spreading. For
soft-sided biscuits, bake them with the
edges touching. For crusty-sided
biscuits, bake them 1/4 to 1/2 inches
apart on the baking sheet.
A hot oven
is essential to cook evenly risen,
golden-brown scones with crisp crusts.
Bake dough
immediately after making.
Scones
should be eaten within a couple of hours
of baking.
Freezing Scones:
Freezing baked scones:
When the scones are cool, wrap airtight and hold at room temperature for
up to one day or freeze to store longer. To reheat, unwrap scones (thaw
wrapped, if frozen) and place onto a baking sheet. Bake in a 350 degrees
oven 8 to 10 minutes or until warm.
Freezing unbaked scones:
When the dough is made and patted into circles or cut into 8
wedges/circle, put on a cookie sheet and place, uncovered in the
freezer. It will take about an hour for the dough to freeze
firm. Once the dough is firm, put frozen scones into a zip-lock
bag and return them to the freezer.
When you are ready to
bake, simply take out as many as you want, and let them sit on
the kitchen counter on a piece of foil or parchment paper while
you preheat the oven. They should only be allowed to thaw only
as long as it takes the oven to preheat.
Once the oven is
preheated, put the scones onto a fresh sheet of parchment paper
and bake. It will be necessary to extend the baking time by a
few minutes (it could easily add up to 4-5 minutes to the baking
time—just add it in 2 minute increments until you are sure of
your times).
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 Stephanie Inn Scones
Moist, rich, and tender, these flavorful
scones are a favorite breakfast treat at
The Stephanie Inn in Cannon Beach, Oregon.
Depending on the season, they might be flavored with chopped nuts, dried
fruits such as currants, dried apricots, dried cherries, raisins, fresh
mango, or blackberries.
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